TORONTO — John-Michael Liles has played in more than 600 NHL games. He has twice scored 14 goals and three years ago finished with 40 assists. As he enters his 10th season in the league, he does so with the comfort of a contract that pays him US$3.875-million annually until 2016.

But on the second day of training camp, the Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman sounded a lot like a player on a professional tryout.

That is the designation under which veteran forward Mason Raymond, who turns 28 next week, is in camp. And while there are differences between the two players — chiefly that Liles has a contract and Raymond does not — there are also similarities between the two proven NHLers. In a season in which the salary cap has gone down and squeezed out the middle class, both have to prove once again that they are worth not only the money but also the ice time.

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“Nothing’s given in this league,” the 32-year-old Liles said. “It’s what we do. It’s part of the business. You look around this room, I’d say four or five players are usually guaranteed a spot and the rest have to perform. If you’re not performing, then you’re spot can be taken pretty quickly.”

Liles speaks from experience. Last season, in what was the first year of his four-year contract extension, he lost his job to AHL journeyman Mike Kostka and spent 16 games as a healthy scratch. When the season ended, Liles had two goals and 11 points in 32 games and was preparing for the possibility that he would be bought out.

Instead, he dodged the bullet when the team used its two salary-cap compliance buyouts on Mike Komisarek and Mikhail Grabovski and chose not to cut him lose with a standard buyout.

It usually brings the best out of people and that’s what we’re trying to create. We’re not giving things away here. You’re going to have to earn them

Now, he heads into the season as an expensive depth player on a team up against the cap. Raymond was not so lucky. Despite scoring 10 goals and 22 points for the Vancouver Canucks last season — two less than Alexandre Burrows scored — the unrestricted free agent spent the entire summer waiting by the phone without a single offer.

“I didn’t anticipate that,” said Raymond, who earned US$2.275-million last season. “But I think there’s a lot of players right now on PTOs that didn’t anticipate that.”

Brad Boyes, who scored 10 goals and 35 points with the New York Islanders last season, is on a professional tryout with the Panthers. Chuck Kobasew is on a tryout with the Penguins, defenceman Ryan Whitney is on a tryout with the Blues, while former Dallas captain Brenden Morrow remains without a contract after joining Pittsburgh at the trade deadline.

“It’s an interesting situation for sure,” Liles said. “You look around the room but also the league as well. There’s a lot of guys without jobs. It was something that the league fought for to get that cap to drop down and I think you’re seeing the remnants of it now.”

Raymond was eventually invited to Toronto’s camp last week, when general manager Dave Nonis — who drafted Raymond in 2005 — presented him with an opportunity to tryout.

“It’s different [from previous training camps], but I keep saying you have to come here and earn your spot,” Raymond said. “You can never get complacent. But it’s a different position for me for sure. I feel like I have something to prove.”

That is the way that head coach Randy Carlyle wants it. While other coaches have railed against the country club atmosphere in Toronto, Carlyle was the first one to implement a meritocratic system regarding the roster. Last season, he buried Tim Connolly in the American Hockey League, benched Komisarek and Liles and promoted minor-leaguers Kostka and Mark Fraser into top-six defensive roles.

That philosophy is not expected to change regardless of the team’s cap situation.

“It’s always good and healthy for coaches and management for players to be competing for jobs,” Carlyle said. “It usually brings the best out of people and that’s what we’re trying to create. We’re not giving things away here. You’re going to have to earn them.”

For Raymond, who hopes his speed will lead to a job on the third line, it is a chance to prove he can still play in the NHL. The same goes for Liles, who in addition to switching jersey numbers is also looking to add a physical element to his game after talking with Carlyle about why he was a healthy scratch so much last year.

“I think that certain teams play certain styles of play and you have to adjust to that,” Liles said. “Am I ever going to be a guy that runs guys over all the time? No. Can I step in front of guys? Yes. Can I hit guys? Yes.